


Akin to Glory

by AslansCompass



Category: Unicorns of Balinor Series - Mary Stanton, Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Magical Horses, or things shaped like horses at least
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:41:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25214071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AslansCompass/pseuds/AslansCompass
Summary: Even though he's only in his teens, Tory has experienced more adventure than some people have in a lifetime.  Being Chosen as a Herald is practically retirement. When he finds a strange girl, a golden stallion, and a rough-haired dog, Tory offers to help them get back home. But that may be harder than he thinks.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

"Well, I think that's far enough for the day. What do you say we stop off here for the night?" Tory asked. 

_I think you just want an excuse to take the scenic route._ Elissa snorted. 

"Of course." Technically, he was still a Trainee. But years of roof-running and helping his father had him testing several years ahead of his age in most classes. He still had to take a few ethics and law courses, more as a matter of protocol than anything else. _This_ was the capstone--traveling the borders so he could look in at any time. 

Tory glanced up the valley. Dark clouds were building beyond White Foal Pass, blowing down the valley. "Storm's on the way."

Something moved on the horizon. Just the trees blowing in the wind, surely? He looked again. No, not the wind. Or not just the wind. Something golden, bright as summer sun, was moving along the path. "See that?"

 _Someone's definitely out there._ Elissa agreed. _Possibly more than one._

"Friendly?" 

_I'm not sure. It has a certain.... feel... to it. Not hostile, just confused._

Well, then, why not? "Let's investigate." 

Elissa threw back her head and galloped. In only a few minutes, they pulled up alongside the strangers. The bright speck skidded to a halt, nearly crashing into a bush. 

It was a golden stallion, taller than any horse Tory had ever seen, with auburn mane and tail. Its rider, a girl a few years younger than Tory, wore her auburn hair loose, down to her shoulders. A rough-furred herding dog lounged in the road behind them. 

"My name's Tory, and this is Elissa."

The girl tilted her head to one side.

"Is something wrong?"

"Esse na r eh. Nei tyleth pre." 

She didn't speak Valdamaran. Tory knew a scattering of Karsite, a few words of Bev's tongue, and a few Tale'sedrin terms from the traders. 

_I don't recognize it either,_ Elissa commented.

Tory glanced overhead, then swore under his breath. "That storm's still coming. We'll have to get undercover. " He turned to the girl, pointed to the sky, and mimicked thunder. She seemed to understand; he pointed to a cluster of trees on a rocky outcropping. They should have enough time to get there before the rain got too dangerous for riding.

* * *

Ari huddled under the trees, listening to the rain pound the evergreen boughs. The space was just big enough for the five of them. The stranger was sitting by his horse's head, talking in a low voice. She still didn't understand a word he said; whatever this crazy place was, it wasn't anywhere near Glacier River Farm. 

_Are you alright, milady?_ Chase asked.

"Not exactly. I don't know where we are or who this guy is. I'm tired and my legs hurt and I want to go _home_." Ari choked back tears. 

Lincoln pressed against her chest. _It'll be okay. We can trust him._

"Why?"

 _A hunch. And that horse... something's different about that horse._

_She's not like the horses at the farm._ Chase agreed. 

Ari leaned back against Chase. "Well, you're special."

 _What about me?_ Lincoln whined.

"You too," Ari grinned. 


	2. Chapter 2

This was definitely a palace. Ari stayed close to Chase; Lincoln waited at her heels. When Tory (the boy was called Tory; they'd learned some of each other's languages) said he was taking her 'home,' she hadn't expected anything like this. The guards had waved them through easily enough; they seemed to be familiar with Tory. They'd gone through several courtyards and alleyways before coming to the stables. 

It was so familiar Ari nearly cried. She may not understand the language or recognize the scenery, but stables were the same everywhere, it seemed. 

Tory dismounted. Someone came up almost immediately and took Tory's horse Elissa by the reigns. No, not horse, Ari corrected herself. **Companion**. She still wasn't sure of the difference, but it had something to do with Tory's job as a 'Herald.' 

The boy offered to take Chase as well, but Ari shook her head. She wasn't going to let either of her friends go just yet. They were her only ties to home. 

_You couldn't have stayed there alone,_ Lincoln reminded her. They'd tried going back the way she came, but there was no sign of the farm anywhere.

_I know,_ Ari said. 

A young man stepped out of one of the buildings, calling to Tory. Tory grinned and called back, speaking too quickly for Ari to understand anything he said. They talked for a few minutes, then Tory turned back to her. "My brother Perry," he told her. "Perry, this is Ari."

"Hello," Ari said. Perry was a few years older than Tory, but he looked kind. 

A woman dressed in green came up to them. "Tory, quln fel sa. Ih neasi ja lathiel? Ka nin teliya, oye lanka."

"Na grouk valda," Tory explained. "Teena."

The woman nodded and tried again. "I'm Jenni. I can help your legs. Come with me."

The long trip had taken its toll. They'd ridden from shortly after sunrise till noon the first day; only when they stopped for lunch did Tory notice the scars on her legs and the tears dripping from her eyes. After that, they'd taken it slowly, alternating walking and riding, with long breaks in between.

When they'd reached a village, Tory had purchased a cart for Chase to pull. That had been better, but not by much. The roads were merely dirt, with deep ruts and puddles. 

Most nights, her legs had hurt just as much as they had when she'd first woken up in the hospital. If Jenni could help.... "Yes!" 

"This way," Jenni pointed to a cobblestone path. But they'd only gone a few steps when Ari stopped. Tory wasn't following. 

"Tory? You come?"

Tory looked up from his conversation. "I talk with Perry."

Oh. Ari's heart sank. Was this it? Was he just going to leave her? Even if Jenni could help, what would happen afterwards? 

_I'll be with you,_ _milady_ , Chase reassured her. 

"I come back for you. Later." Tory smiled at her. "Get food for Elissa and Chase."

"Lincoln stay with me?"

Tory exchanged a glance with Perry. "No. Lincoln...." he bit his lip, obviously searching for the right words. "Perry help Lincoln."

_Brushing?_ Lincoln asked eagerly.

_I tried,_ Ari pointed out. She mimicked brushing, pretending to wince as she caught a knot in her figures. "Help?"

"Help," Tory agreed. "Go with Jenni."

* * *

As Ari and Jenni headed down the path, Tory breathed a sigh of relief.

Perry burst out laughing. "You told her I was going to _brush_ the dog?"

"Just because we can communicate doesn't mean she understands everything! And even if she knew the words, I'm not sure how well she'd respond to 'Oh, my brother can talk to animals, so we're going to see if he can figure out where you came from by talking to your dog.' People can be weird about Gifts."

"She's not Karsite, so I doubt she'd throw me in a fire," Perry replied breezily. "So, this is the famous Chase. Handsome, isn't he? But that scar on his forehead...."

"They were in an accident, if I understood her correctly. That's how her legs were hurt. She kept saying something about a 'car,' but I don't know what that was. Some sort of beast, maybe, but that doesn't look like teeth or claws. He's smart, though." Tory said. "Didn't wander away, didn't overeat. Maybe as smart as Ahkhan's horse."

"Well, I'll start with him, then." Perry closed his eyes to concentrate.

"Bright Havens!" Perry's eyes flashed open. "This isn't a horse."

"Huh?"

"There's a human mind there, or near enough to it as no difference. More like Larral, but closed off somehow....Maybe Father could get through, but I can't. You'd need real Mindspeech to talk to him." 

Well, that was....interesting. _Elissa, did you know this?_

_That's not my Gift._

"Elissa didn't know either," Tory frowned. "But I think Ari did." Little moments, small things he hadn't fully noticed at the time; it all made sense if Ari and Chase could communicate. "But if she has Animal Mindspeech, she might have tried talking to Elissa."

"Unless she didn't think of it," Perry pointed out. "I don't go around chatting with every chipmonk or cat that crosses my path." He sighed. "Well, there's still the dog. Lincoln, right?" 


End file.
